Harlan on Taggart

[USF_Grouper]

UCF is an average team but a well above average defense. It was a tough game and we missed lots of opportunities - but that is definitely an above average defense.

[Breedwell]

 

 

 

Good point. I keep hearing of all these great talents he recruited that he's red-shirted this year. Given our talent isn't great, but not as horrible as W/L suggests, I don't understand why he has red-shirted all these great players who could be contributing.

 

 

Because coaching the team isn't a sprint, its (ideally) a marathon. You want some players who might be on par or slightly better than the veterans to take a year to develop under the system, bulk up/slim down/tone, and be better the next season for it. Using a video game example: If the veteran is an 80 overall, and the true freshman is also an 80 (or even a 79 or 81), redshirting that freshmen will bring him back the next season as a RSFresh with a better rating than the veteran's, and with 4 more years to improve into the 90's. 

 

Look at Swanson. He didn't play last season, came out this season and made a solid enough impact that I'd say he benefited the team. 

 

In positions other than QB (which is always under the spotlight), coach could be red shirting guys because they may be physically talented, but haven't fully grasped the playbook or maybe just aren't ready. After a redshirt year, hopefully they come out and work hard and play their way into the 2-deep. Stuff like that can happen.

 

Some guys just outplay everyone and clearly are needed right away. Like all of the freshmen out there today. Nigel Harris played well last season, and this season he's came out and played really well. He was all over the place today as a true sophomore. He's a stud.

 

So I'd say we absolutely improve moving forward. While we've had lasting contributions from some of our vets (Cliett played well today I thought, Dunkley turned out to be a great corner, Andre Davis 80% of the time..), the youth of the team are getting better and will eclipse the talent level of those before them, except younger. 

[Who'sYourData?]

 

1.  Joey Knight â€@TBTimes_Bulls 4m4 minutes ago

   Is Harlan encouraged by what he's seen? "I don't think the word 'encouraged' is what I'll use right now."

    

 

I am encouraged by this comment by Harlan.

 

This comment also proves that Taggart is NOT "Harlan's guy", not even a little.   If anything, there is too much money sunk into coaching costs right now to replace him at this point.

[Who'sYourData?]

NM

Edited November 29, 2014 by ShadowBull

[snarling Bull]

NM

You forgot to remove the wheels before it went over the cliff Edited November 29, 2014 by snarling Bull

[Breedwell]

 

 

1.  Joey Knight â€@TBTimes_Bulls 4m4 minutes ago

   Is Harlan encouraged by what he's seen? "I don't think the word 'encouraged' is what I'll use right now."

    

 

I am encouraged by this comment by Harlan.

 

This comment also proves that Taggart is NOT "Harlan's guy", not even a little.   If anything, there is too much money sunk into coaching costs right now to replace him at this point.

 

 

Its dumb to fire a college football coach two years into his tenure. He deserves at least a third or (with promise or enough improvement) a fourth year of being the head coach. 

 

With that said, Harlan clearly isnt pleased with Taggart's year two. It seems like Harlan has made it clear that no one is "his guy", his guy is winning, and having a winning football program.

 

So, knowing his financial situation and, knowing that firing Taggart right now would be irrational and unreasonable, I believe the tweet implies he's going to voice his displeasure, and demand Taggart make some adjustments. The Boss wants changes in performance, and if those changes aren't met, he's gonna clean house.

[charsibb]

My question to Harlan would be this.  If Willie Taggart did not have a guaranteed contract would he be your head coach in 2015?  If his answer is no then he must get rid of Taggart now and find a way to make it work as that is his job. 

 

I understand that the NFL is different than NCAA football and USF does not have the budget like NFL teams do.  That being said, in 1999 first year head coach Ray Rhodes led the Green Bay Packers to an 8-8 record.  Seeing how Rhodes ran the team and how they underperformed on the field Ron Wolf fired Rhodes after his first season even though he didn't have a losing record. 

 

If Harlan believes that Willie is doing the right thing every day and that the ship will turn around that is fine.  However, by doing so he should expect to be held accountable for what Willie's teams accomplish or fail to accomplish going forward.  He has had enough time to evaluate Taggart and determine whether or not he is capable of being a good college head coach.  I have not seen the stat from this season of how many minutes we have been ahead or behind in games but based on watching most games this season I would think that stat would surprise people with how bad this team really was. Personally, I don't think Willie is a bad person but I do not see him ever being a good college head coach, at least not at USF.  Taggart now has a career head coaching record of 22-38.

 

I will leave you with one last thought.  Taggart left Western Kentucky for the USF obviously because he thought that USF was a better job and a better football school.  Today Western Kentucky knocked off undefeated and #24 ranked Marshall at Marshall with first year head coach Jeff Brohm at the helm (note: Brohm had never been a head coach prior to this season).  If USF was to play 7-5 Western Kentucky next week on a neutral field USF would be 7 point underdogs. 

 

What more is there to say?

 

If Harlan can find a better coach out there, interview him secretly, and get some ink on paper, the fire Taggs now.

 

If nobody better will sign on then we're stuck with him anohter year.

[Superhippy]

I have a gut feeling that Taggart will get fired tomorrow and I am basing that off the Antigua hire and Masiello attempted hire he's already made.

 

The average pay for an NCAA tournament coach last year was 1.5 million dollars.  Antigua took the job for $900,000 and was the top assistants at the country.  Masiello was the former top assistant for Pitino and was going to take a similar offer.   The basketball team already looks a million times better then it did last year.   Antigua has worked these guys extremely hard, and is constantly coaching within each game.   Because of that you can see the team getting better and making adjustments while in the game itself, which has led to a near comeback NC State win and a comeback win over what looks like the best team in the Colonial this year.    We have also seem them get better in areas like free throw shooting and turnovers game to game.  Taggart's team isn't doing that.   It's game 12 and the players still look confused.  They are still dropping easy passes.  They still don't know how to run block.  They still can't get the plays in on time.  

 

What's clear to me is Harlan's philosophy in what he wants in a coach is someone who has been a part of a championship program, and knows what it takes to win.   Taggart's only big time football experience is as the running backs coach at Stanford and his only head coaching experience was making Western Kentucky decent.       I could see him getting a guy like Scott Frost who has coached with Oregon for five years, 1st as the WR coach, and then as Offensive Coordinator.  Since he is young like Antigua, he will be willing to take less money for an opportunity that if successful will eventually lead to a top tier job.  

 

The bottom line to me were those comments by Harlan.    He understands the gravity of the situation, especially from a financial standpoint.  This team needs to win, and not just 6 games but more like 9 or 10, and they need to win soon. 

[BDYZR]

 

 

This is all just a big waste of time. I'd be shocked if they win six games next year. Ultimately, they'll fire him after 2015. Based on what I've seen I can't imagine he makes it.

 

Given how bad the AAC is I can see Taggart falling backwards into 6 wins and stayng here with us a solidly mediocre team in a terrible division.

 

How many first and Macks does it take to realize this guy's coaching tools are way too limited?

 

We are in the good division. Cincy, ECU, UCF, and Temple every year. Florida State and Maryland on the road and Syracuse at home next season. I would be happy to get 6 wins out of that honestly.

 

Well, there are seven losses right there...

[usfgrad84]

I have a gut feeling that Taggart will get fired tomorrow and I am basing that off the Antigua hire and Masiello attempted hire he's already made.

The average pay for an NCAA tournament coach last year was 1.5 million dollars. Antigua took the job for $900,000 and was the top assistants at the country. Masiello was the former top assistant for Pitino and was going to take a similar offer. The basketball team already looks a million times better then it did last year. Antigua has worked these guys extremely hard, and is constantly coaching within each game. Because of that you can see the team getting better and making adjustments while in the game itself, which has led to a near comeback NC State win and a comeback win over what looks like the best team in the Colonial this year. We have also seem them get better in areas like free throw shooting and turnovers game to game. Taggart's team isn't doing that. It's game 12 and the players still look confused. They are still dropping easy passes. They still don't know how to run block. They still can't get the plays in on time.

What's clear to me is Harlan's philosophy in what he wants in a coach is someone who has been a part of a championship program, and knows what it takes to win. Taggart's only big time football experience is as the running backs coach at Stanford and his only head coaching experience was making Western Kentucky decent. I could see him getting a guy like Scott Frost who has coached with Oregon for five years, 1st as the WR coach, and then as Offensive Coordinator. Since he is young like Antigua, he will be willing to take less money for an opportunity that if successful will eventually lead to a top tier job.

The bottom line to me were those comments by Harlan. He understands the gravity of the situation, especially from a financial standpoint. This team needs to win, and not just 6 games but more like 9 or 10, and they need to win soon.

Too early to understand anything about basketball yet. All we know is they are showing no quit and playing a faster, different type of game than we are used to.

We are hopeful and encouraged, but stan's team was blowing teams out early last year too.

I don't know that Taggart will be fired, but I do believe there are some significant changes to the football program coming.